Brian Thomas Jr. injury update: NFL insider offers latest on Jaguars rookie WR
The Jacksonville Jaguars fell to 2-6 on Sunday due to their loss suffered at the hands of the Green Bay Packers, and now the franchise is dealing with a number of key injuries.
Specifically, the team’s wide receiving corps is in shambles. Christian Kirk suffered a broke collarbone against the Packers, and he’s out for the season, leaving rookie Brian Thomas Jr. as the obvious choice to be the top option for Trevor Lawrence moving forward. However, it’s not that simple.
While there was no obvious moment where Thomas Jr. got hurt against Green Bay, he evidently was in pain throughout the afternoon, as he’s having an MRI on his ribs this week to determine his status moving forward, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
“The Jags may be even more short-handed, as stellar rookie Brian Thomas Jr. will have an MRI on his ribs to determine his status for the week, source said,” Rapoport posted on X.
Thomas Jr. has been impressive this season, and he had another solid performance on Sunday, amassing three catches for 60 yards and a touchdown. On the season as a whole, the former LSU Tigers star has caught 33 passes for 573 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
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If the wide receiver has to miss some time, the Jaguars will be strapped when it comes to receiving options moving forward. Parker Washington would be the next man up, so perhaps Jacksonville would look at the trade market or the free agency pool, even though they’re a measly 2-6 on the season.
Additionally, the Jaguars are entering a pivotal stretch in their schedule. It certainly doesn’t let up, as their next four games come against teams with at least five wins — the Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions and Houston Texans.
Quite simply, the Jaguars are going to need Brian Thomas Jr. in the worst way, and even then their outlook is murky for the remainder of 2024. We’ll see if they can shock the football world, but the majority of fans, experts and analysts won’t be betting on Jacksonville.